1 Before leaving Hartford for Boston, late on the night of 13 March, Clemens had read ninety pages of proof for The Innocents Abroad: from his preface, list of illustrations, and detailed table of contents, up through the end of chapter 9 (page 89) (see 12 Mar 69 to OLL, p. 163). He went to Elmira on the evening of 17 March, but probably could not begin reading the next batch of proofs there for another four or five days (see p. 175). Once he did begin, the major cause of delay undoubtedly was his desire to prolong the pleasure of reading with Olivia, whom, moreover, he had given the “prerogative” to “scratch out all that don’t suit her” (9 and 31 Mar 69 to Crane, p. 181).